


Darkness: Beyond the Life

by DevilsCabaret



Series: Beyond the Legend [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-08-04
Updated: 2012-08-24
Packaged: 2017-11-11 11:02:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/477841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DevilsCabaret/pseuds/DevilsCabaret
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Just so you know, next time YOU will go through the whole forest, alone, to confer with the Great Dragon and 'I' am going to fight escorted by the whole army of Camelot!" - "Merlin..." - "Yes, okay! I will shut up... my King!" --- The last hours of two lives that became one. Of a friendship that became brotherhood. Of a story that became a legend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_**Beyond the Legend - Part One: Darkness** _

_Beyond the Life_

The wind kept crying among the trees, careless of the sound of the blades that kept cutting relentlessly the air. A soft smile appeared on the warrior's face and from his eyes, now sealed, slipped a last warm tear.

"Goodbye..."

For a moment the world slowed down while the battle around them went on as if nothing had happened. 

Living arms clasped vigorously the wounded and lifeless body lying on the cold ground. Trembling lips, wet with tears, touched the pale and bloody forehead of the man, of his friend who was forever gone.

"Goodbye. "

.

.

.

_I wanted you to know, I love the way you laugh_

_._

"Just so you know, next time YOU will go through the whole forest, alone, to confer with the Great Dragon and ' _I_ ' am going to fight escorted by the whole army of Camelot!" Merlin shouted, pretending to be annoyed and turning his torso toward the top of the hill, while his horse trotted calmly directed to the forest.

"Merlin..." Arthur's voice echoed in a tone of playful reproach from above the green hill where he stood along with the most valorous warriors of his kingdom. They looked at each other, still close enough to be able to see each other's smile.

"Yes, okay! I will shut up... my _King_!"  Said the magician mocking the title of his friend and giving him his back. In a few moments he reached the entrance to the forest. He pulled the reins gently, stopping his horse, and threw one last glance toward the high ground where the Knights were standing, lined up like a wall of steel. Three men stood at the head of the group; their dark uniforms catching the eye.

The King's Trusted.

Percival, the tallest of them all, was talking animatedly with a nervous Leon, while Gwaine, his wild hair ruffled by the wind, was laughing silently, probably because of their always absurd speeches. In front of them, at the head of the troops, was Arthur.

King Arthur.

His hair and his barely visible beard appeared golden under the beams of the sun at dusk. The smile on his face was gone. His attention was directed elsewhere, toward a place that Merlin could not see. He seemed focused on something distant and unreachable.

After many years of peace, war was now trying to bring darkness to the kingdom. His Kingdom. But he showed no bitterness in his eyes, nor hatred, nor anger. In Arthur's eyes Merlin could see only pain.

_._

_I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away_

_._

The magician gave a little back-heel on the animal's body and he began to gallop until he disappeared among the thick greenery

* * *

Air had become suddenly colder. Everything seemed to have stopped as if time didn't want to flow. Arthur exhaled loudly, closing his eyes.  When he opened them again, they were filled with determination. 

He snapped the reins and set off directed toward the battlefield, quickly followed by his men. The horses' hooves beated on the ground like noisy drums of war, increasingly stronger and more frequent. Their weary breath condensed instantly as soon as they made contact with the cold air, forming clouds of white steam. For each stride of his horse Arthur could feel Excalibur hitting his leg. Ever since he had pulled it out of the stone, years earlier, the sword had never seemed so heavy.

.

_'cause I'm broken and I'm lonesome_

_._

The warrior's horses went on with their rapid march until they reached the edge of a big valley. They stopped and following Arthur's command they sided in multiple lines. The Trusted were at the top, side by side, next to their King. None exceeded the other, none was more worth than the other. Equal on the field as at the round table, bonded forever as brothers. Before them an immense valley, naked and lifeless. A few rocks sticked out of the dead grass, tearing the dry ground and in the end, on the horizon, a mantle of dark trees.

No. Not trees.

Men.

A sea of soldiers standing in front of the forest, lined up and ready for the imminent battle. Arthur instinctively turned to his right, seeking that comforting eyes that had always given him more confidence than he had ever thought he had in his heart. But he found no one. Just a missing place between him and Gwaine. For a moment among of all his knights, along with the most faithful warriors of the kingdom, he felt alone like that empty space beside him.

At the head of the opposing army, in front of all the warriors, was a single man who, like a beast who masters his flock, was impatiently waiting. His armor was the color of coal and on his shoulders he wore a long dark green cloak with the hood raised on the head to hid part of his face.

Arthur looked at that knight with great care: there was something familiar about his black hair, ruffled on his forehead, his smooth face, pale as marble, his icy eyes, cold and penetrating. It took him several minutes to understand, to recognize in that man someone he had met many years earlier.

The child had grown up.

A shudder ran through his back. He didn't feel calm. Yet the battle was no different from all those he had faced so far.

Same armor. Same weapon. Same spirit.

But something was missing.

Someone was missing.

.

_And I don't feel right when you've gone away._

* * *

_**_Lyrics from ** _Broken_** by Amy Lee & Seether_ ** _


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are sorry if there are grammal mistakes. We are translating this story from italian to english and we didn't get it beta'd. If you find big mistakes, feel free to inform us.  
> Thank you!
> 
> @DevilsCabaret

_You've gone away, you don't feel me here anymore._

_._

The horse slowed down coming out of the trees, while his rider started looking around, restlessly. In front of him he could see an empty and bare space. Few rays of sunlight managed to penetrate, lighting up the entrance of the cave. Merlin closed his eyes and focused on the noises of the forest. But there was no sound except the faint clatter of hooves.

The air was still.

Over the years spent beside Arthur he had understood that such signs couldn't foreshadow anything positive. Merlin felt something around him, something that made him feel uncomfortable but for how hard he tried he was unable to figure out to what that sense of uneasiness was due. He dismounted, observing the environment carefully.

"Stay here, I'll be back soon" he exclaimed directed toward the animal, who snorted a sign of consent. He took a few steps toward the cave when he felt a shiver running through his back. He didn't need to turn around to understand the reason of that bad feeling.

"Morgana..."

.

_The worst is over now and we can breathe again..._

.

An icy laugh ripped the air.

"Hi, my dear friend."

Merlin turned to face the woman, a grim expression on his face and his mouth stretched in a line. The witch was a few steps away from him, her face pale and her lips bright red, beautiful and elegant just like the first time he had seen her. Many years had gone since their last meeting but nothing in her appearance suggested that a single day had passed. Only her eyes had changed. There was a dangerous awareness in those bright emeralds that were pointed at him.

"What are you doing here, Morgana?"

The witch shook her head for a moment, closing her eyes. "I don't remember you being so rude, Merlin... I came just for a quick visit ... "

The magician's hand clenched into a fist. "I have no time to waste with you, now if you'll allow me..." Merlin bowed mockingly and turned away, ignoring her, when something hit him in the back throwing him with violence to the ground.

"Not so fast..."

The magician got up slowly, feeling every bone aching for the hit. His face was contracted into an hard expression.

"I won't fight against you, Morgana."

The witch tilted her head, smiling, while in her hand a purplish flame lit up.

"Too bad, because I have every intention of doing so."

The fire became a sphere that the woman threw towars the sorcerer's chest. With a quick motion Merlin raised his hand up to his heart: when it touched his skin, the flame faded from red to purple then died in a blue as deep as the color of his eyes.

"Go away Morgana. Your hatred and your dark magic are not allowed here."

For several seconds she stood motionless, with a neutral expression, while Merlin turned and walked toward the cave. It was only when he had already vanished from her sight that she started to run, determined to reach him.

"My hatred, Merlin, IT'S ONLY TOWARDS YOU!" She shouted while her hands glowed again of the color of fire. "Fight me!"

The woman threw two spheres red like blood against Merlin, who, with flowing movements, made them fade once again.

"Enough! This is pointless, Morgana! You've lost!"

"No!" The tone of her voice suddenly changed. Anger turned into satisfaction. Frustration into contentment. "No, Merlin..."

The woman took a few steps back, her eyes were full of resentment and they shone with a dark and scary light.

"It's you the one who will now lose..."

A golden light.

“You will lose everything...”

The witch raised her hand up and cast a spell that the sorcerer couldn't hear. Suddenly the roof of the cave started to shake, the crystals echoed like endless bells while the walls crumbled and huge rocks fell down interposing between them and raising a cloud of dirt and debris.

The entrance to the cave was locked.

Again the woman laughed as Merlin realized with horror the meaning of her words.

"Morgana! Stop!" Cried the sorcerer, stretching his arm and casting a spell on the rocks. Morgana's magic had strengthened over the years and Merlin could not break through the wall. "Morgana!" He shouted again, but received no response.

The woman was gone.

A deep voice coming from behind him made him jump.

"I told you, Merlin... I told you so... The end has come..."

.

_There's not much left to learn and no one left to fight._


End file.
